Forest Plan

Monitoring and

Evaluation Report

for 2000 and 2001

Salmon-Challis National Forest

Forest Plan

Monitoring and

Evaluation Report

for 2000 and 2001

Salmon-Challis National Forest

To our Customers, Partners and Friends:

Welcome to the Salmon-Challis National Forest

with over 4.3 million acres of spectacular river

and mountain country. The past two years on the

Salmon-Challis Forest have been very busy for Forest

personnel, due to the fires in 2000 and the recovery efforts

following those fires. This report gives an overview of

some of our important activities and brings you up to date

on our Forest Plan implementation efforts. After reading

this report, please send me any comments you may have.

 George Matejko

 Forest Supervisor

To our Customers, Partners and Friends:

Welcome to the Salmon-Challis National Forest

with over 4.3 million acres of spectacular river

and mountain country. The past two years on the

Salmon-Challis Forest have been very busy for Forest

personnel, due to the fires in 2000 and the recovery efforts

following those fires. This report gives an overview of

some of our important activities and brings you up to date

on our Forest Plan implementation efforts. After reading

this report, please send me any comments you may have.

 George Matejko

 Forest Supervisor
Office Locations

Headquarters Building

50 Highway 93 South

Salmon, Idaho 83467

208-756-5100

George Matejko, Forest Supervisor

Salmon/Cobalt Ranger District

50 Highway 93 South

Salmon, Idaho 83467

208-756-5100

Terry J. Hershey, District Ranger

Challis Ranger District

HC 63 Box 1669

Highway 93

Challis, Idaho 83226

208-879-4100

Mike Foster, Acting District Ranger

Yankee Fork Ranger District

HC 67 Box 650

Clayton, Idaho 83227

208-838-3300

Thomas Montoya, Acting District Ranger

Lost River Ranger District

P O Box 507

Highway 93

Mackay, Idaho 83251

208-588-3400

Carol Eckert, District Ranger

Middle Fork Ranger District

P O Box 750

Highway 93

Challis, Idaho 83226

208-879-4101

Patty Bates, District Ranger

North Fork Ranger District

P O Box 180

Highway 93 North

North Fork, Idaho 83466

208-865-2700

Patty Bates, District Ranger

Leadore Ranger District

P O Box 180

Highway 28

Leadore, Idaho 83464

208-768-2500

J. Richard Ward, District Ranger

Firestorm 2000

Fire season 2000 began earlier than usual with the first large fire on the Forest occurring in

late June. Although the early fires were successfully fought by fire crews, they were a

preview of what was to come. By the end of the fire season of 2000, almost 400,000 acres

burned on the Salmon-Challis National Forest (SCNF) at a cost of $ 98 million.

 The events of July 14 changed the course of the summer for employees on the Forest and residents

of Lemhi and Custer County. That afternoon, the Clear Creek and Fenster fires both blew up, sending

large columns of smoke and ash into the sky, and threatening communities in the Salmon area.

 By late afternoon July 14, the Clear Creek fire, until then burning in the Frank Church River of No

Return wilderness, was threatening residences along Panther Creek; the Fenster Fire, just a few

miles north of Salmon, was threatening residences in the Diamond Creek area. This situation stressed

local firefighting forces, including the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and volunteer

fire departments from Salmon, North Fork and Gibbonsville.

 The Clear Creek fire was started by a lightning strike on July 8, 2000. A wilderness guard spotted

the fire on the morning of July 10 and immediately called it in to Forest Dispatch. An eight person

heli-rappell crew sent to the fire was forced to pull back due to its aggressive growth. Early on July

14 the fire was approximately 1,000 acres with over 60 fire fighters on it. The fire began to grow

rapidly around 2 pm and, by late evening, it had traveled over 8 miles, burning over 20,000 acres.

 The Clear Creek fire grew throughout the summer and was finally declared contained on October

13, at nearly 200,000 acres. It was the largest fire in the United States in 2000.

 The Fenster Fire was detected early in the afternoon of July 14 and by 4:30 pm, campgrounds and

residences to the north and west of Salmon, were being evacuated. The fire burned about 2,500

acres in one afternoon. The Fenster Fire was declared contained on July 18 at 3,245 acres.

 Through both firestorms, no one was seriously injured and only one out-building was destroyed

by fire. This was a wake-up call to the local communities of Salmon, North Fork and Gibbonsville.

Fuels reduction is now a common term among these communities.

 Between July 14 and August, several other fires were detected, all started by lightning. On

August 6 several more fires were found in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.

 Through the summer, many unprecedented events took place. The largest impact was the closing

of the entire Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, including both the Main and Middle

Fork of the Salmon Rivers, from August 17 through September 5. This affected many Outfitters

and Guides who make their living on these rivers and through other recreational uses in the

Wilderness.

 The Wilderness and rivers were closed for almost 3 weeks, and other portions of the Forest outside

the Wilderness in the Panther Creek area were closed from July 14 to early November, nearly four

months. The fires and the heavy smoke caused many recreationists to change their plans and spend

their vacation, and vacation dollars, elsewhere. This had a huge impact on commercial businesses

in the Salmon area.

July 14, 2000, Clear Creek Fire. Photo by Cindy Borchardt

2
Firestorm 2000

 Thousands of fire fighting personnel plus helicopters, engines and

bulldozers were assigned to the fires on the SCNF during the summer of

2000.

 At the end of the fires season, no primary homes were lost and no one

was seriously injured, an accomplishment of which the Forest is very proud.

Within the Wilderness, 12 summer residences were lost due to the extreme

fire conditions.

Fire Name Start Date Containment Date Acres Burned

Squaw Gulch 6/22 7/1 98

Pepper Creek 6/23 6/25 115

Twelve Mile 7/6 7/7 250

ClearCreek/Aparejo 7/10 10/13 216,961

Iron Creek 7/12 7/15 150

Fenster 7/14 7/18 3,245

Twin 7/23 8/3 458

Reynolds 7/29 8/2 36

Otter 8/5 8/9 6

Wilderness Fires * 8/6 N/A 182,600

Morse 8/11 9/6 5,756

Rankin 8/11 8/25 6,710

Marlin Springs 8/13 9/16 6,249

 Total 422,634

 * The FCRONR Wilderness was closed from August 17 – September 6, 2000

July 14, 2000, Fenster Fire approaching residential area in the Diamond Creek Area.

Salmon - Challis National Forest

 Fire Season 2000

2000 Fire History

July 27, 2000. Clear Creek Fire looking north on Panther Creek Road.

3
After the record-breaking wildfire season of

2000, the President requested a national

strategy for preventing loss of life, natural resources, private property, and livelihoods in the wildland/urban interface. Working with Congress, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior jointly developed the

National Fire Plan to respond to severe wildland fires,

reduce their impacts on communities, and assure suffiNational Fire Plan

 Combined with projects already identified and analyzed through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), these projects will be our critical program of work

into the future.

 A planning team was created on the SCNF to support the National Fire Plan objectives, especially in the area of fuels reduction. A total of nine specialist positions were

filled solely for the planning team. The team is currently finishing an urban interface

fuels reduction environmental assessment for the Gibbonsville area and has begun

work on a watershed assessment as the first step towards an additional urban interface

fuels reduction project in the Salmon area. The NEPA analysis for the second project

is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2002.

 4. Community Assistance

The National Fire Plan calls for working with communities in many ways: consulting

to reduce fire risk, public involvement for hazardous fuel reduction, creating jobs in

restoration and fuel reduction projects and products, providing defensible space information, volunteer and rural firefighting assistance and economic action programs.

 In 2001, the National Fire Plan assisted community services in the following ways:

Amendments to the Forest Plan

Noxious Weed Abatement ($1.37 million to Idaho Dept. of Agriculture)

Fire Fighting Equipment ($201,000 for State Fire Assistance to IDL,$307,000

for Volunteer Fire Assistance to IDL)

Emergency Services Mapping ($24,000 to Custer Co., $12,000 to Lemhi Co.)

Public Information ($25,000 to Idaho Outfitter & Guide Assoc. for fire

ecology training module for guides)

cient firefighting capabilities for the future.

 The National Fire Plan (NFP) includes five key points: firefighting preparedness,

rehabilitation and restoration of burned areas, reduction of hazardous fuels, community assistance, and accountability.

National Fire Plan Key Points

 1. Firefighting Resources

This point focuses on being prepared for future fire seasons, and includes staffing,

training, equipment and resources, and facilities such as airtanker bases. Regional

Office Fire & Aviation Management staff, Forest Supervisors, and Fire Management

Officers (FMOs) determined needs for the Most Efficient Level (MEL) of suppression resources, including firefighters, engines, aircraft, and other personnel.

 In 2001 the SCNF hired 41 people in fire related positions in order for the forest to

be at Maximum Efficiency Level. The majority of the positions were for hand, engine, and helitack crew personnel at the GS-4 to 6 levels.

 2. Rehabilitation and Restoration

After the 2000 fire season, Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) teams

were formed to identify necessary emergency projects for protection of life and property. The teams have been working on those projects since the fires ended. The next

phase is long-term restoration within the burned areas. As BAER teams dealt with

emergency needs, the “Black Area Teams” compiled a list of proposed projects from

each National Forest to submit for funding for continued restoration in the burned

areas.

 The SCNF received $8 million in FY 01 through the National Fire Plan for fire

season 2000 burned area recovery projects. Projects included are erosion control,

trail reconstruction, weed spraying and administrative site repair in areas burned by

the 2000 wildfires.

 The Forest has made great progress in rehabilitation efforts, but still has a long way

to go before the areas are totally rehabilitated.

 3. Hazardous Fuel Reduction

The Forest Service worked with State Foresters, other state and federal agencies, and

local communities to identify both communities at risk and projects to reduce the potential for wildfire damage. Most projects will focus on the wildland/urban interface.

$100,000 to High Country RC&D Council for hazardous fuel mitigation

$1.98 million for hazardous fuel reduction and $390,000 for hazardous fuels

 mitigation to IDL

Lost River National Learning Site/Antelope Watershed Restoration Project

Bio-Fuels ($145,000 to Lemhi & Custer Co. for Feasibility Study)

$225,000 to IDL, $420,000 to Idaho Farm Service

Local private landowners adjacent to the SCNF received $62,000 for the

replacement of fences and corrals burned in the wildfires.

 5. Accountability

More than just accounting for the money we spend, our commitment to Congress and

the public is that we can accomplish the critical work in each of the five key areas.

 We have been entrusted with a significant increase in dollars that must be well

managed through our accounting systems. Equally important is our commitment to

learn and work together with our communities to restore landscapes and reduce fire

risks.

The Forest completed two amendments to the Salmon National

Forest Plan that recognized the historic Lewis and Clark

Expedition crossing on the Forest. Below is a summary of how the two

amendments have helped to highlight and protect important Lewis and Clark

historic sites on the Forest:

• Amendment # 7 On July 7, 2001, a decision was signed to

establish a Trail Management Area consisting of 14.5 miles of trail

plus 1/4 mile, on either side of the Trail, covering 7,911 acres. This

amendment recognized nine segments of the Trail and provided for

protection and management for those segments. This amendment also

updated management for the Lemhi Pass National Historic

Landmark.

• Amendment # 8 On January 7, 2002, a decision was signed by the

Forest Supervisors of both the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and SCNF.

This amendment updates management direction for the Lemhi Pass

National Historic Landmark to better coordinate and unify

management direction on the Idaho side of the Landmark with

direction for the Montana side.

Lynx Amendment – an ongoing study

 For the past three years, the SCNF, in conjunction with other federal and state

agencies, has participated in a nation-wide study to determine Canada lynx

occurrence and densities across the lower 48 states. The Canada lynx was listed in

April 2000 as a threatened species, protected by the Endangered Species Act. The

USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have proposed to change

land management plans for 18 national forests and four BLM units in the northern

Rocky Mountains to include measures to conserve lynx habitat. Information

meetings were held and nearly 2000 comments were received during the 90-day

comment period that closed Dec. 10, 2001. Another round of meetings is expected

later in 2002 when the environmental analysis for the amendment is released. The

most significant examples of proposed land management plan changes include:

 No pre-commercial thinning in lynx habitat until trees grow too large to

provide cover and forage for snowshoe hare, the lynx’s primary prey.

 No net increase in miles of groomed or designated trails provided for

snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, or snowshoers in lynx habitat.

4
An aquatic monitoring program on the SCNF is identifying the effects of the

2000 fires upon aquatic habitats and documenting the recovery of aquatic

life in burned areas.

 The Clear Creek fire covered major portions of the Garden, Hot Springs, Clear,

Trail, Big Deer, Jureano, and Blackbird subwatersheds, which all burned intensely.

The Beaver, Napias, Arnett, and Musgrove subwatersheds show a more diverse mosaic

of fire intensities, while the Deep and Moyer subwatersheds were almost unburned

and serve as a comparison for fire-related effects. Most severely affected was Clear

Creek, the entire channel of which was blanketed with fine sands following a severe

rainstorm in July 2001.

 Sediment surveys document trends in stream sediment levels using core sampling,

which excavates cores to a depth of four inches at resident fish spawning sites, and six

inches at anadromous fish spawning sites. Core sampling was conducted at 121

monitoring sites in 2001. Sites affected by wildfires in 2000 were the highest

resampling priority in 2001. Core samples from streambeds measure the levels of

“fines” (particles less than 1/4 inch in diameter) in fish spawning habitats. High

levels of fines mean low rates of egg survival.

 Fifty percent of core sampling stations surveyed in 2001 displayed “good” spawning

habitat capability, 24 percent were “fair”, and 26 percent were “poor.” In 2000, 39

percent of all stations were “good”, 32 percent “fair”, and 29 percent “poor.”

 Streambank stability measurements at core sampling stations showed that 71 percent

of these stations met or exceeded the PACFISH and INFISH objective of 80 percent

or higher bank stability. The 2001 results reflect a general improvement in streambank

conditions compared to the 2000 inventory, in which 58 percent of surveyed banks

displayed stability levels of 80 percent or better.

 Fisheries crews also collected baseline water temperature data at 173 locations,

using recording thermographs, which were installed in April or May and removed in

late September or October after water temperatures dropped.

 Before 1995, the only rearing temperature criteria guiding Forest direction were the

State of Idaho Beneficial Use Criteria for coldwater biota, which identified 71.6 degrees

as a recommended maximum for maintenance of aquatic life forms. PACFISH and

INFISH revised these criteria to a maximum of 64 degrees and 59 degrees.

 In 2001, 93 percent of stations fully met State of Idaho Beneficial Use Criteria for

coldwater biota. Fifty-two percent of the PACFISH area sites analyzed met the more

stringent INFISH rearing temperature criteria on all dates of record.

The Central Idaho Resource Advisory Council (RAC) was established by the

Secretary of Agriculture under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and

Community Self Determination Act of 2000 to work collaboratively with the

SCNF. Senators Craig and Wyden authored the bill that was signed into law in 2000.

It was designed to compensate for the sharp decrease in federal timber sales and

intended to bring in needed dollars to schools and communities surrounded by national

forest land.

 The Central Idaho RAC is one of four established in Idaho by Secretary of

Agriculture; other Idaho RAC’s include Idaho Panhandle, North Central Idaho, and

Southwest. The boundary of the Central Idaho RAC includes Custer, Lemhi and

Butte Counties.

 The new legislation reformed the federal payments programs to counties with

National Forests within their boundaries. The law gave counties the option of

continuing to receive twenty-five percent of the revenue generated from national forest

activities such as timber harvest, grazing permits, and mining, or elect to receive their

share of the average of the three highest twenty-five percent payments made to the

state from 1986 through 1999. Counties electing to receive full payment based on the

new formula are required to reserve between fifteen and twenty percent of their funds,

referred to as Title II funds, to be used for forest restoration, maintenance, or stewardship

projects.

 The RAC was established to recommend projects on federal lands or that benefit

natural resources on federal land within the RAC boundary. Members of the RAC

were selected by the Secretary to represent various interests and they generally live

within Custer, Lemhi, and Butte Counties.

 The Central Idaho RAC covers Custer, Lemhi, and Butte Counties and includes the

SCNF. Custer and Lemhi Counties have elected to set aside 20% of their federal

payments to county funds for the Central Idaho RAC to use on conservation projects.

This made $122,000 available to the RAC for projects. Because Butte Counties total

payment was less than $100,000 the county was not required to contribute to the Title

II funds.

The following Idahoans were appointed to serve on the Central Idaho RAC:

Any person or group can submit project proposals for review by the RAC. Forms are

available at the Salmon – Cobalt National Forest Offices or from RAC members. The

RAC meets once a month in Challis. Meetings are open to the public and announced

in the local newspapers. So far the RAC has approved three projects for 2002 including:

The purchase of a solar powered pump to improve grazing utilization and protect

riparian areas on the Copper Basin Grazing Allotment. They approved the purchase of

biological agents for the three counties’ Cooperative Weed Agreement. The biological

agents are insects that attack spotted knapweed, yellow star thistle and other noxious

weeds. The RAC also approved funds for spraying sulfur cinquefoil infestations in

the Gibbonsville – North Fork area.

Federal land management agencies are advised to assess landscapes at the subbasin level under direction from the Interior Columbia Basin EcosystemManagement Project (ICBEMP). The main objectives are to identify issues

that are unique to the landscape level, characterize the ecological and social conditions

and trends, validate the scientific findings and conclusions from ICBEMP, identify

risks and opportunities that may affect the current situation and prioritize future

ecosystem analyses at the watershed scale (EAWS).

Large Scale Assessments

 The SCNF has identified nine separate sub-basins on the Forest. In 2001, we

completed the Pahsimeroi Sub-Basin Review, covering the Challis Ranger District

and BLM lands. We now have three sub-basin reviews completed out of the nine

originally identified.

 The SCNF has completed 12 EAWS since 1997 out of a total of 172. In 2001, we

completed the Morgan Creek and Yankee Fork EAWS.

Resource Advisory Council

Williams Lake

Aquatic Habitat Aquatic Habitat

Name Home

Baker, Melodie Lynn Clayton

Cole, Bruce Allen Salmon

Cope, Robert E. Salmon

Doughty, Phillip A. “Bert” Challis

Broncho, Claudio Fort Hall

England, Michael Wayne North Fork

Farr, Scott Challis

Hamilton, Jerry S. Carmen

Hauff, Richard T Salmon

Power, Gary D. Salmon

Roberts, Hadley Salmon

Skeen, David Earl Challis

Stauffer, Mark Lane Howe

Westfall, Doug S. Salmon

Woiciechowski, Bart W. Mackay

Ziegler, Troy Russell Challis

5
Facilities –

Roads and Bridges

More than 300 miles of roads and a Forest Service bridge were

affected by the fires of 2000. At the Flying B Ranch in the Frank

Church – River of No Return Wilderness, the Bernard Bridge was

damaged when a firestorm tore one end of the bridge from its footings and set it

down a few feet away. Repairs on the bridge have been completed.

 Outside the Wilderness, bulldozers were used to widen existing roads to improve access for firefighters and equipment. Decommissioned roads were reopened; some 2-track roads were widened; dips designed for control of water

runoff were smoothed out; and some roads were entrenched to prevent burning

debris from rolling downslope. Post-fire priorities for road crews include control

of sediment source areas, repair of unstable road banks, and the reclosure of decommissioned roads. Areas where soil was disturbed still have the potential to

put sediment into streams.

 Reconstruction and maintenance needs increased the year following the fire.

Reconstruction increased from 4 miles to 41; maintenance increased from 755

miles to 1081. Public safety remains a concern, and road maintenance needs will

increase over the next five years as road banks slough, rocks fall, and trees fall

across roads. Meeting the increased level of work will involve contracts for road

and fire line rehabilitation, and equipment leasing to rehabilitate roads with Forest

Service crews.

 Road construction as predicted in the Forest Plan ranged from less than 5 miles

to 50 miles per decade. Actual road construction has been lower, with less than

one mile of new road construction in the past two years.

 Historically, the Forest Service has not been considered a public road agency,

although the National Forest system contains the largest number of roads managed

by any public agency. However, with the Reauthorization Bill for Transportation

scheduled for approval in 2003, the Forest Service may be included with other

public road agencies such as the Federal Highways Administration. This will

allow the National Forests to receive additional funds from gasoline tax dollars.

About 15% of the 4,300 miles of inventoried system roads on the SCNF could

qualify for gas tax funding. The roads would have to meet public road standards

before they could be eligible for the gasoline tax funds. This funding would improve

our ability to meet minimum road standards and improve public safety.

 Road closures scheduled for 2000 were postponed due to the fires; in 2001

approximately 26.5 miles of road were rehabilitated and closed to motorized use.

 A new roads analysis process is required for any project after January 13, 2001.

The SCNF will use this new analysis process for the Gibbonsville Wildland-Urban

Interface fuels reduction project and the upcoming Forest Plan revision. The

analysis process is designed to provide information on existing road networks and

resource conditions that will aid in decision-making. Public participation is an

integral part of the road analysis process; meetings will be scheduled throughout

the year.

Bernard Bridge buckling from fire damage.

Bernard Bridge repaired after fire damage.

Heritage

Heritage personnel listed the following accomplishments for 2001:

• Review and analysis of Recreation facilities for the Lemhi Pass National Historic Landmark

Management Plan

• Completed work on two interpretive signs located at Sore Feet Horse Camp and at Pine Creek

Rapids on the Salmon River Road

• Completed design of trailhead signs at Wagonhammer Picnic Area and Lemhi Pass Trailhead

• Updated the Forest Lewis and Clark website

• Completed the Sextants to Satellites Passport in Time program in which 20 volunteers learned

about the 19th Century map making used by Lewis and Clark, and 21st Century mapping procedures to help locate and record the National Historic Trail • Provided funding for the Sacajawea Interpretive and Educational Center and helped plan meetings for the Center’s development.

6
Inventoried Roadless

Areas

The Forest’s inventoried roadless areas were remapped using GIS )geographic

information system technology based upon the digital 7.5 minute

topographic base maps. Due to the increased accuracy of GIS mapping,

48,634 acres were added to our total original acreage for a new grand total of

2,271,238 acres. The next step in reinventory of these arreas will be to review all

boundaries to see if any changes are needed and to review the roadless qualities

and wilderness characteristics. Long term protection and management of

inventoried roadless areas will be adressed during Forest Plan Revision, now

scheduled to begin in 2005.

Wilderness Weeds Program

The North Fork and Middle Fork Ranger Districts of the SCNF manage over 1.2

million acres of the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness (FCRONR).

Wilderness lands managed by the districts contain vast, undeveloped expanses of

rugged topography, deep canyons, high elevation forests, and whitewater rivers.

 Noxious weeds are also present in these areas. In response to the continuing and

growing threat of these invasive species, the FCRONR Noxious Weed Management

Team has been employing a coordinated, cooperative management approach since

1999. Team members come from each of the 4 National Forests and 6 Ranger

Districts that manage the Wilderness. This group of land managers develops and

implements an Integrated Weed Management strategy for the entire 2.4 million

acre Wilderness. Some of the techniques utilized include Prevention, Education,

Treatment, Inventory, Monitoring, Partnerships, Coordination, Restoration,

Program Evaluation, and Accountability.

 Spotted knapweed and rush skeletonweed are the most prevalent weed species

on the North Fork and Middle Fork Ranger Districts. Smaller infestations of

Canada thistle, sulfur cinquefoil, hounds tongue, yellow toadflax, and black

henbane are also present. These weed infestations are largely confined to the

river corridors of the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers. Weeds occur primarily

in these areas for a variety of reasons. The sagebrush and grasslands found in

these locations are the habitat types most susceptible to invasion by these weed

species, the elevational range and climate conditions in the corridors are favorable

to the weed species, and large concentrations of recreationists (floatboaters,

backpackers, horse packers, and aviators) utilize the corridors and spread weed

seeds.

 During the 2001 field season nearly 2500 acres of noxious weeds were

inventoried on the Wilderness portions of the North Fork and Middle Fork Ranger

Districts. Over 85% of these inventoried acres were rush skeletonweed infestations

located on the Middle Fork Ranger District.

 The most significant finding of the 2001 field season was the truly explosive

growth of rush skeletonweed in burned areas. Nearly 50 new sites of rush

skeletonweed were found in areas that burned during the Fire Season of 2000.

Also, previously inventoried sites that burned in 2000 expanded greatly in size

and, equally significant, the density of skeletonweed at these sites increased

dramatically. The removal of cover and resulting prolific seed-germination

probably caused this increase in rush skeletonweed. Inventory and treatment

priorities for 2002 will again focus on these burned areas.

 During the 2001 field season 1627 acres of noxious weeds were treated on the

Wilderness portions of the North Fork and Middle Fork Ranger Districts. Treatment

techniques followed the direction outlined in the FCRONR Wilderness Noxious

Weed Treatments Environmental Impact Statement. Physical, chemical, and

biological treatment techniques were employed. Numerous Contractors were

utilized in the treatment of noxious weeds in 2001. This strategy for treatment

will also be followed in subsequent years. The shortcoming of acres treated versus

acres inventoried points to the need for additional staffing and funding for noxious

weed management in the Wilderness.

 In an effort to slow the spread of weeds by recreationists, an expanded education

program was employed in 2001. Forest Service personnel working at the launch

sites of the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers did a superb job of informing

and educating river users on the threats of noxious weeds, their biology and

management, and Prevention measures visitors should use. Over 15,000 Wilderness

users were contacted at the launch sites in 2001.

If you received more than one copy of this report, have an

addresscorrection, or wish to have your name removed from

our mailing list, please call Pat Pearson a (208) 765-5148 or write

to Forest Planning, 50 Hwy 93 South, Salmon ID 83467.

The education program for wilderness floating trips at the Corn Creek boat launch site,

includes a discussion of weeds.

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

7
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FRANK CHURCHRIVER OF NO RETURN

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SALMON-CHALLIS

NATIONAL FOREST

IDAHO

Scale

LEGEND

U.S. Highway

State Highway

Forest Route

Trail

Special Area

Forest Supervisor's

Headquarters

Salmon, Idaho

District Ranger Station

0 3 6 9 12 15 Miles

Salmon-Challis National Forest

North Fork

Salmon

Leadore

Challis

Clayton

Stanley

Ketchum

Mackay

Arco

Howe

To Idaho Falls

To Blackfoot

To Dubois

To Shoshone

To Hailey

To Stanley

To Twin Falls

To Boise

 KNAPP CREEK–

 LOON CREEK 

NATL REC TR

To Hamilton, MT

SALMON

SALMON

SALMON

SALMON

NF

NF

NATIONAL

NATIONAL

NATIONAL

NATIONAL

NATIONAL

CHALLIS

CHALLIS

C

 NF

CHALLIS

FOREST

FOREST

FOREST

FOREST SAWTOOTH NF

SAWTOOTH NRA

BOISE NF

PAYETTE NF

PAYETTE NF

BITTERROOT NF

BEAVERHEAD NF

BEAVERHEAD NF

FOREST

FOREST

TARGHEE NF

Salmon

River

River

River

River

River

River

Salmon

Fk

East

Salmon

River

Lost

Big

East Fork

Lost

Big

Lost Little

Pahsimeroi

Lemhi

Bayhorse

Lake

Mackay

Reservoir

Mosquito

Flat

Reservoir

Josephus

Lake

Middle

NATIONAL

Fork

Salmon

River

Loon

Creek

Yellowjacket

Lake

Iron

Lake

Panther

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Salmon

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North

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Salmon

River

Wallace

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Salmon River

River

Salmon

River

Redfish

Lake

Meadow

Lake

Mill Creek

Lake

LOST

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RANGE

WHITE

KNOB

MTNS

PIONEER

MOUNTAINS

LEMHI

RANGE

LEMHI

RANGE

LEMHI VALLEY

LEMHI

PASS

BITTERROOT RANGE BANNOCK 

PASS

BEAVERHEAD

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

MOUNTAINS

MOUNTAINS

RIVER

SALMON

LOST TRAIL PASS

BIG HOLE

PASS

SALMON

RIVER

MTNS

WILLOW CREEK 

SUMMIT

DOUBLE 

SPRINGS PASS

Ryan Peak

11,714'

Hyndman Peak

12,009'

Borah Peak

 12,662'

Yellow Peak

10,968'

Lem Peak

10,985'

Freeman Peak

10,273'

Center Mtn

10,362'

Taylor Mtn

9,960'

Mt. Jordan

11,063'

Portland Mtn

 10,820'

Highest Peak

in Idaho

MILL CREEK LAKE 

 NATL REC TRAIL

CONTINENTAL

DIVIDE

NATIONAL

SCENIC

TRAIL

SCENIC RIVER

SALMON

RIVER

SCENIC

AND

WILD FORK MIDDLE

RIVER

SCENIC

AND

WILD

WILD

AND

ROAD

ROAD

ROAD

PAHSIMEROI

CREEK PASS

CREEK TRAIL

ANTELOPE ROAD

95

90

95 93

21

75 20

15

20

84

93

86

84 15

30

Lewiston

Salmon

Challis

Boise

Twin Falls

Pocatello

Idaho

Falls

IDAHO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J

K

L

8